Compared to 15 years ago, it's harder to steal second base now

All things being equal, I would agree. Catchers have specialized as well and are better at throwing to 2nd, mechanics and velocity. Runners need to look to re-capitalize to take the "advantage" back. Youth and HS pitchers with a slide step may not be able to locate as well. Runners should observe the pitcher prior to the situation. If the slide step cuts down time to the plate, but inconsistent location follows, an opportunity to grab 2nd presents itself. Runners need to learn to track pitch path/trajectory to get good jumps on balls down, to either side and in the dirt. The path/trajectory do not easily translate to in or out, but down for sure. Good reads, good athletic secondaries, if ball is not put in play and/or you don't advance hustle back to 1B to not get back picked. No complacency on the bases, get to 3B as soon as possible, in as few pitches as possible.

Agree.  Information age.  It has become more practical for the average HS coach to gather more information about every aspect of the game, regardless of his and/or his assistants' specific background or strength.  And, with the expansion of travel and training facilities, some of these skills are being introduced at an earlier age (as you stated) and are thus executed better by the time they hit the HS field.  Also, as more and more kids play one sport once in HS, this allows for time to work on these previously neglected aspects.  We worked our staff on pick moves and slide steps over the summer bullpen sessions.  Some of the same applies to runners getting reads and catchers becoming more proficient with throw-downs.

freddy77 posted:

Stealing second vs. RHPs was noticeably easier 15 years ago in HS ball.

Back then, a lot more RHPs leg-lifted with runners on, probably because they didn't slidestep on the small diamond.  Now,  RHPs have been slidestepping since they were 11 yrs.-old.

For you guys that have been around for a while--do you agree it's harder to steal second? 

Btw, as a result, I spend quite a bit of time working on our running game.

 

 

Don’t don’t believe it has anything to do with kids playing open bases starting at age eleven. A lot of 11u and 12u players still don’t learn the slide step. The games were track meets when my son played. A lead off single was often a triple after a couple of pitches. 

There’s more video and instruction available now. Even if kids get to high school not knowing how to slide step they learn it quickly. I got to college not knowing how. When my pitching coach suggested I must have been stolen blind in high school I asked, “By what runners?” That cocky response was good for an afternoon of running poles.

I never learned in high school. There weren’t many base runners. I was recruited as an outfielder who ended up doing some left handed situational relieving. All of a sudden I was coming into games with base runners.

The potential for lack of command out of the slide step often has to do with the pitcher not getting loaded on the post leg before he goes to the plate. Even with a slide step a pitcher HAS to load on the post leg.  If he doesn't he typically falls to the plate which changes his throwing mechanics.  Assuming he had good mechanics in the first place.  But we can all agree that the goal is to find a delivery that is consistent and repeats itself. Improper execution of the slide step delivery leads to a change in mechanics which leads to lack of command.